Munich (dpa / lby) - The Bavarian mountain riflemen have made some critical statements about the retired Pope Benedict XVI. just after his death as excessive. "Yes, I am irritated by the zeal with which some publicly disparage a recently deceased, who is one of the great personalities of the 20th and 21st centuries, with their exaggerated criticism," said Governor Martin Haberfellner on Wednesday. "That's not proper."
The mountain riflemen - not just the institution - but every individual who takes on the hardships and costs of a trip to Rome for the funeral service of their own accord, wants to express their personal respect and sympathy to the whole world, said Haberfellner. "We mountain riflemen have fond memories of Josef Ratzinger as a cardinal, but above all of a warm-hearted person who was a real friend to us as pope."
Haberfellner and three other representatives of the mountain riflemen, of which Benedikt was an honorary member, will travel to Rome with the delegation of Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) for the funeral service on Thursday. Around 200 mountain riflemen left in buses on Wednesday. A good 12,000 mountain riflemen belong to the 47 companies of the former Bavarian army.
Their rootedness in the Christian faith is reflected, among other things, in their highest feast day, which they celebrate in May in honor of their patron saint, the Mother of God. They were always closely linked to the former pontiff. A delegation visited him on his 95th birthday last April at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican.
